Means for



Aug. 12, 1941. A. J. MOSER MEANS FOR MAKING CIGARETTES Filed Aug. 7,1939 INVENTOR.

fl/PCH/E J M 0515 BY 1TORNEK Patented Aug. 12, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to and means for making cigarettes, and hasparticular relation to a vest pocket size portable device for making thecigarettes.

The tailor-made cigarette is relatively expensive compared to the costof papers and tobacco. A great many smokers would like to roll their owncigarettes in order to effect a saving.

If a person smokes a package of cigarettes a day, his saving, by rollinghis own cigarettes, during a year would be approximately $36.00.However, the rolling of a cigarette by hand is difficult and manypersons do not have the patience to learn this process. Cigaretterolling machines have been provided for home use, but these devices arerelatively large and are certainly not portable. Furthermore, they canroll only long cut tobacco and thus this materially limits the smokersfield of selection of cigarette tobacco.

It is, therefore, one of the main objects of my invention to provide asmall vest pocket size cigarette rolling machine which may be carriedabout by the smoker.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cigarette making meanswhich will roll cigarettes from any kind of tobacco, long or short cut,dry or moist.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a cigarette rollingmeans in which the amount of tobacco in the cigarette may be readily Iregulated and in which the compression of the tobacco may also beregulated.

Other and further features and objects of my invention will be moreapparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accomiing the functions and operation of the various parts of the rollingmeans.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2;a device constructed according to a preferred embodiment of my inventionis comprised of the approximately semicylindrical shell or base I!)provided with the cupped semi-cylindrical recess H. The base ispreferably provided at opposite ends with the end plates l2 and I3 whichproject above the base and which are provided with rounded upper edgesindicated at [2a and l3a. End plates l2 and I3 may be fastened to theends of the base by means of the screws 14 and the end plates areprovided with curved slots NS for the purposes hereinafter set forth.

A flexible forming member, such as the spring steel plate E7, is securedto a pin I9, located near the upper edge of or Within a recess in oneface Ila of the base in, and fits within the semi-cylindrical recess Hof the base Ill. The free end llb of the spring plate ll is preferablyrolled around a pin 18 and opposite ends of this pin project through theslots H5 in the end plates [2 and [3. One of the projecting ends of thepin is indicated at I8a in Figure 1.

An angle strip 21 is provided which is likewise pivotally engaged on thepin l9 by means of the small cars 21a. A paper holding angle plate 22 ispivotally engaged to the free edge of the angle strip 2| by means of apin 23. The ends of the pin IQ are received in openings in the endplates l2 and [3 as indicated in Figure 1.

A cutter plate 24, having an angular flange 24a, is pivotally engaged onthe pin I8 by means of rolled ears 24b.

The purpose of the plate 22 generally is to grip the edge of thecigarette paper 26 and to force it downwardly into the cavity 21 formedby the spring steel former plate IT. This operation is indicated inFigures 2 and 3.

In using the cigarette rolling machine, cigarette paper of the correctlength and width is laid on top of the flanges 24a of cutter plate 24and the flange Zia of the plate 2|. The paper holding angle 22 is thenrotated about the pin 23, as indicated in Figure 3, to grip the edge 26aof the cigarette paper 26 and to force the cigarette paper downwardlyinto the cavity 21 formed by the former plate H. The completion of thisoperation is shown in Figure 3.

The cavity 21a, now formed by the cigarette paper, is filled withtobacco, as indicated at 28. In filling the cavity with tobacco theoperator soon learns to utilize the proper amount of tobacco and todistribute it evenly along the length of the cavity. The completion ofthe filling operation is shown in Figure 4.

The next operation is that of rolling the paper around the tobacco, andthis is accomplished by grasping the flange 24 and pushing it forward soas to carry the free end of the former plate I! over toward the gripperplate 22, thus Wrapping the paper around the tobacco. If too muchtobacco is used, a portion of the tobacco will project between the edge24a of cutter plate 24 and the free edge of the gripper plate 22. If thecutter plate 24 is then firmly pressed toward the plate 22 the edge 22awill act with the edge 22b of plate 22 to out 01f this projecting fringeof tobacco. The cut off portion of tobacco is indicated at 28a. Thecompletion of the cutting operation is illustrated in Figure 6.

The next operation is to finish or seal the cigarette. In doing this theplate 24 is pivoted about The plate 24 is then disengaged from the plateder, and means engageable with the paper gripping means for cutting offthe surplus tobacco.

2. In-a cigarette rolling machine, a semi-cylindrical base, a springsteel forming means received in the base, a paper gripping meanspivotally engaged to one edge of the cigarette forming means, a cuttingand pressing means pivotally secured to the other edge of the formingmeans, and means for guiding the movement of the cigarette pressing,cutting and forming means to cause the forming means to form a cylinderof the tobacco and paper.

3. In a cigarette rolling machine, a base including end members, saidend members being provided with guide slots, a forming plate flexible inone direction only, means for pivotally supporting the plate on the basealong one longi- 22 and rotated as far as possible to the left about itspivot pin it and as illustrated in Figure '7 while the forming plat I!is, at the same time, held in the position shown to prevent thecigarette from unrolling. The plate 22 is rotated entirely to the rightto the position shown in Figure 2. The projecting and exposed end 2601.of thecigarette paper may then be moistened and by rotating the sealingedge 2 la of the plate 2|, as shown in Figure '7, the edge 26a of thepaper may be drawn over and sealed to complete the forming of thecigarette. The exposed face of the plate 22 is preferably scored, as at2%, to assist in cutting ofi the tobacco. The pin 23 is preferably ofspring wire bent slightly to cause the plate 22 to snap to the open andclosed positions. It is apparent that I have provided a portable device,small in size, for the rolling of cigarettes. The device is providedwith a cutting means to cut away excess tobacco in the event that theoperator uses too much tobacco in filling the device. One edge of thecigarette paper is held'firmly by the clamping means 22 throughout therolling operation. The device may be constructed entirely of metal, andall kinds of tobacco, short and long cut, may be used. The amount oftobacco used is easily regulated and the compression of the tobacco inthe completed cigarette may be readily regulated; Surplus tobacco may becut away so that a perfect cigarette may be formed. A method of rollingis employed which will produce perfect cigarettes.

Although I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, it isapparent that modifications thereof may be made by those skilled in theart. Such modifications may be made with out departing from the spiritand scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

. 1. Inna cigaretterolling' machine, a cigarette paper gripping means, acigarette forming means for forming the tobacco and paper into acylintudinal edge of the plate, means for guiding the other longitudinaledge of the plate in a given path, said means including guide pinsengaged in the guide slots, the forming plate normally having asubstantially semi-cylindrical shape, and means for positioning andgripping a cigarette paper along the pivotally supported longitudinaledge of the forming plate.

4. In a cigarette rolling machine, a flexible forming plate, means forrolling the plate into a cylindrical form, a positioning and grippingmeans located along one longitudinal edge of the forming plate, meanspivotally attached to the other longitudinal edge of the forming memberadapted to cooperate with the paper gripping means to out off surplustobacco, and means comprising part of the positioning and gripping meansfor sealing a cigarette after it is formed.

5. In a cigarette rolling machine, a semi-cylindrical shell, end platesmounted upon the'ends of the shell, a flexible forming plate positionedwithin the shell and normally semi-cylindrical in shape, one edge of theforming plate being pivotally mounted between the end plates, the otherlongitudinal edge of the forming plate being adapted for movement towardthe pivoted edge of the plate, means to guide the movable edge in agiven path, means to position and grip a cigarette paper within theforming member, and a cutting member pivotally attached to the movableedge of the forming member and adapted to cooperate with the papergripping member to cut off surplus tobacco.

6. In a cigarette rolling machine, means adapted to be formed into acylinder, means for mounting one edge of said means in substantiallyflxed position, means for guiding the other edge in a given path, meansfor positioning and gripping a cigarette paper along one edge Of-thefirst mentioned means, and means comprising part of the positioning andgripping means for use in sealing a cigarette after it is formed.

' ARCHIE J. MOSER.

